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Sunday, March 3, 2024

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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia

Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle. - Michelangelo

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Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 1: 1903 - 1975 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• March 3 - 10: Paris-Nice

Upcoming racing:

• March 4 - 10: Tirreno-Adriatico

Latest completed racing:

• March 2: Strade Bianche
• February 28: Trofeo Laigueglia
• February 27: Le Samyn
• February 19 - 25: UAE Tour
• February 22 - 25: O Gran Camiño
• February 25: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne
• February 25: Faun-Drôme Classic
• February 24: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• February 24: Faun Ardeche Classic
• February 14 - 18: Volta ao Algarve

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Strade Bianche team reports

We posted the report from race winner Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates with the results.

Here's the report from second-place Toms Skujins' Team Lidl-Trek:

Despite a crash and two punctures, Toms put in an outstanding performance and finished on the podium behind Pogacar: “It was a battle, this podium is a huge reward”

At Strade Bianche, super Toms Skujins left everyone speechless and took a well-deserved second place, confirming that he is currently enjoying great form. Ahead of him only Pogacar (UAE), the absolute ruler of the race, was almost unreachable for the entire peloton.

But for Lidl-Trek today it was Toms’ performance that counts. Splendid, generous, memorable.

Toms Skujins finishes second. Sirotti photo

The Latvian proved to be strong with both the legs (coming back into the peloton three times after two punctures and a crash) and with the head in all the key moments of the race. When Pogacar decided to say goodbye to the top riders’ group, Toms held his nerve and kept his legs fresh, waiting for the perfect moment to launch his move towards the podium.

At 25km to go, he sized the moment and attacked to chase Van Gils (Lotto-Dstny). Once the Belgian had been caught, they rode together until the final climb in Siena, where Toms made his decisive effort to go alone to the finish to claim second.

In Piazza del Campo, Toms could enjoy a podium finish of absolute prestige.

Toms' reaction:
"Without the team I would have not been second. It’s the first time I’ve been the designated leader in the race and I hope I paid them back well for that. I flatted twice already before I crashed, and both times I took the wheel from Jacopo, and both times Eddie and Fabio waited for me to get me back into the mix, and then to get me well positioned ahead of sector seven. They really did everything they could. It’s a pity that against Tadej there’s not much you can do, but I think with everything that happened today we can be more than satisfied.

"After I crashed my gears were jammed with mud, it was a hard moment, and luckily we had a bit of road after Santa Marie so I changed my bike. It was a battle, not just physically but also mentally. Today it was already a success for me any place on the podium, so I’m very satisfied. It’s one of the most beautiful podiums that you could have with the finish in this square in Siena. It’s a very special race, you always know it’s going to be crazy and you just have to keep fighting. Today was definitely one of those days.

"Already last weekend I could see that I’ve stepped up again. That’s the goal every year, to step up, and every year I seem to manage to do it. There’s more racing to come, the Team is growing and I’m very happy to be a part of it."

Here's the Strade Bianche report from third-place Maxim Van Gils' Team Lotto Dstny:

The Strade Bianche promised to be a tough race again, with 4 more gravel sections this year. Maxim Van Gils took a nice 3th place. The 24-year-old Belgian made a strong appearance on the Italian white roads.

Lennert Van Eetvelt predicted it before the race: "All eyes are on 'a white Slovenian' today." With 80 kilometers to go, Tadej Pogačar indeed went solo. The rest- with Maxim Van Gils and Van Eetvelt strong in the chasing group- had no choice but to follow. “I was so nervous in the beginning of the race. We went so hard. At first, I tried to follow Tadej, then I could have stayed in his wheel. But there were some other riders before me and they didn’t have an answer to the attack. Tadej took off and was gone. He was just too strong”, tells Maxim Van Gils.

On the gravel section Le Tolfe the Belgian duo attacked, Van Gils eventually went solo in the chase on the lonely leader. “I was hoping to take some others with me, but no one was following.” With still 20 kilometers to the finish, Van Gils got Skujiņš as a companion. On the mythical Via Santa Caterina Van Gils took a third podium spot: "I knew Strade Bianche suited me, but this is the confirmation that I can compete with the big boys. It feels really good to know that I've taken a new step here", says a happy Van Gils. “I’m completely exhausted now, but I'm super happy with this performance.”

Maxim Van Gils finishes third. Sirotti photo

Arjen Livyns crashed and was taken to the hospital for a check-up. He needed 4 stitches above his right eye, has lots of abrasions on his right shoulder and back. His shoulder needs an X-ray in Belgium to rule out a dislocation. Luckily Arjen has no concussion.

Here's the Strade Bianche news from fourth-place Tom Pidcock's INEOS Grenadiers:

Tom Pidcock put in a spirited ride to claim a solo fourth position following a late attack at Strade Bianche.

The Brit pushed clear of a group of chasers inside the final 20 kilometres of the race, opening up a gap which he maintained into Siena.

Tom Pidcock finishes fourth. Sirotti photo

The strong result backed up the Yorkshireman's win last season, with 2024 seeing another long-range attack produce the victory. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) launched an audacious move with 81km still to go, and was able to solo away from the rest of the peloton.

The INEOS Grenadiers had numbers in the chasing pack, with Thymen Arensman and Magnus Sheffield helping propel the group forward. Heading into the closing stages, counter attacks began from the group. With the duo of Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) and Maxim Van Gils (Lotto Dstny) combining well to secure the podium places up ahead, Sheffield was among the riders to push on heading into the final 25km.

That helped lay the groundwork for Pidcock's move and a strong top-five finish in the Piazza del Campo. Sheffield came home 18th as the peloton were spread far and wide following a brutal race.

Tom Pidcock:
"[Even] before Tadej attacked it was full gas. He attacked and it felt like we were in the grupetto to be honest. I waited too long – too little too late. If I’d played it a bit better I’d have been second, but I don’t really have any words for that to be honest.

"I think I was just waiting and letting everyone else attack – they were jumping a lot. But I left it too late which is unfortunate."

And here's the report from Ben Healy's Team EF Education-EasyPost:

Ben Healy gave it his all in a historic edition of Strade Bianche.

The Irishman tried to mount a chase from the elite group that had formed behind a storming Tadej Pogacar, but paid for his efforts in the end. After 215 kilometers of racing with 3,669 meters of climbing over the steep hills of Tuscany, Ben rolled into Siena’s Piazza del Campo in 12th place.

“I tried to do an aggressive race and it didn’t quite work out,” he said, through his exhaustion. “I paid for it in the final.”

EF Education-EasyPost riders in the pack. Sirotti photo

Before rolling to the bus, Ben paid tribute to winner Tadej Pogacar’s attack.

“We could see it coming, but when he went no one had the legs to go,” Ben said.

Our race was hampered by bad luck on the white gravel. Strade Bianche is one of the most spectacular races on the professional cycling calendar. The white dirt roads that crisscross the countryside south of Siena push riders skills and equipment to the limit. The surface is rutted and unpredictable. After a very promising start, a series of mishaps left Ben alone in the first chase group. Chance was not on our side.

“The team was really on it from the first sector,” said sports director Matti Breschel. “Then, we had a number of mechanicals at very critical moments and from there on we were kind of on the back foot and started chasing. Richard fell down. Mikkel fell. Ben ended up in the final, but crashed afterwards as well and kind of lost his mojo a little bit, so it was not really our day. But that is part of cycling isn’t it? The riders followed the plan and were super organized. Sometimes it turns into nothing unfortunately.”

Nevertheless, Ben did a brave ride. Despite his crash, he pushed on, attacking again and again to try to get a group to go off the front and reduce the gap to Pogacar. In the end, he just ran out of strength.

“It was just a slog at the finish and whoever had any legs left was there,” Ben said. “That’s racing. I did what I could.”

Ben and his teammates will now regroup and focus on Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice. The two prestigious stage races start this week.

We’re going to give it our all.

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